asked the Minister for Justice the length of present delays governing decisions in relation to claims for malicious damages; how many such claims are presently outstanding; and the total amount being claimed.
Written Answers. - Malicious Injury Claims.
418.
In the time available it has not been possible to assemble the necessary particulars from all the Circuit Court offices in the State. However, the following information, setting out the position in Dublin, has been obtained from the Dublin Circuit Court office.
On 16 November 1978 there were 1,179 claims for compensation for malicious injury to property in the Dublin Circuit Court. Of these 770 are being contested and are awaiting hearing. The remainder are uncontested and are awaiting the court's ruling.
As far as delays are concerned, the position is that in regard to the claims awaiting ruling on 16 November it was less than a month in any case since the date on which formal notice of application was served on the county registrar. In the case of the vast majority of the contested claims the delay was less than six months. In about ten cases it was longer, but in those cases the delay is due to the fact that the parties are not in a position to proceed.
Particulars of the total amount of money being claimed are not readily available and could not be specially compiled without the expenditure of a disproportionate amount of staff time.